Process for sinking reinforced-concrete piles.



APPLICATION FILED JULY 15 1918.

Patented. Feb. 11, 1919.

INVENTOR A TTOR/VEY tea specification of Letters Eatent.

FDR IENKING- REINFQRlTJED-CONGRETE FILES.

Application filed July 15, 1918. tier-la]. No. :345,031.

all whom may concern:

it known that l, Joenrn Beans, a citizen of the United States, residingat Pocatelio, in the county of Bannock, State of ldaho, have discoverednew and useful 1mprovements in Processes for Sinking Reinforced ofhydraulic jets whereby water at high till pressure is forced through thehollow center of the pile for the purpose or washing away the sand orother formation below the bottom end. in the use of such methods thestriking of shale or hard pan presents an in suirnountable obstacle tofurther progress while by the use of my process such difiiculties areovercome and concrete piles can be rapidly and inexpensively sunk notonly in ordinary formations such as quiclrsand and where wooden pilescannot now be sunk to tie required depth but also in. shale and otherhard formations where it is now impossible to sink concrete piles.

Instead of depending upon processes now in use I employ theprinciple ofrapid rotary action of the pile, to the bottom 0t which is aifixed acutter head or hit. Hydraulic pressure is also employed for the purposeof forcing water through the hollow body of the pile and through anozzle which distributes the water over and around the cutter head orhit. The water is also forced through apertures extending upwardly andplaced at intervals in the walls or" the pile, the purpose being tolubricate and soften the material through which the pile is being forcedand to force upwardly and out of the hole made by the cutter head or hitwhich extends beyond the body of the pile.

One way of carrying out the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawing, in which Figure l is a longitudinal sectional View. and,

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

ln these views, the pile is shown at 1, and this pile is formed withtile central bore 2, which passes longitudinally therethrough. The pileis also formed. with the tapering ports 3, which extend upwardly fromthe bore to the outer sides of the pile. These ports are arranged atintervals throughout the length of the pile. A bit or cutter head 4 issuitably connected with the lower end of the pile, in such a manner thatwhen the pile is rotated said bit will form a hole in advance of the endof the pile. A pipe 5 inserted in this end of the pile and forms anextension of the bore. The lower end of this pipe is enlarged to directthe water to the dilicrent parts of the bit. A second pipe 6 isconnected with the upper end of the pile and this pipe has securedthereon the swivel head 7, which receives the hose connection 8 and theshackle- 9. The means for rotating the pile consists of a gear wheel 10rotatably supported on the base 11 and having teeth 10, and carrying thedogs 12, which are adapted to engage the slots 13 formed in the pile. inthis way, when the wheel is rotated by the woru'i shaft 14., driven fromany suitable source of power, the dogs will cause the pile to rotate,though said dogs will permit the pile to move longitudinally by gravityor by any suitable driving means.

Having thus described my process what I claim is:

The herein described process of sinking piles consisting in providingthe same with. a cutting head at its lower end, rotating the pile tocause the head to form a hole in advance of the pile, introducing astream or" water at the cutting head and providing jets of water aroundthe body of the pile at intervals throughout its length.

JOSEPH BURNS. Vitnesses:

ALEXANDER CUMMINGs, H. P. PINKNEY.

